..45 Colt 10" Octognal barrel question?

[streak]

Does anyone use this barrel configuration for hunting?
I have one and thought I would experiment with reloads not to exceed 900 fps with 250-260 grain cast bullets. Probably would add weight to forend handle and also handle grip to reduce recoil to some degree. Might even put a Red Dot scope or regular pistol scope. So any additional ideas would be appreciated.

[Slowpoke Slim]

Well my first thought is that 900 fps out of a 10" barrel isn't a very hot load anyway. Sounds like you're right around a "standard" Colt load with the 250 gr bullet. I don't think it's going to have as much recoil as you think it will. The Contender (I assume) frame with a 10" barrel is going to have much more weight to it than a traditional Colt revolver would.

As far as hunting with that load, if we're talking reasonable distances, with lots of practice, that would surely suffice for a good deer and hog load. I say "lots of practice" because it's harder to get a good accurate shot on game with a handgun than with a rifle.

You could always step up either the velocity, or the bullet weight on your load if you wish. You have some room there.

I've got some 328 hard cast flat points I load with AA#9 (can also use other powders, 296, H110, etc) for a 20" Contender carbine barrel. I also shoot the same load out of a Colt Anaconda. I can dig up the recipe if you're interested.

Optics are strictly personal preference. I have open sights on my Anaconda (revolver), and a Bushnell Holosight on my carbine barrel.

[streak]

Slowpoke Slim,
You have PM.

[blhof]

Is that a strictly 45 barrel or a 45/410 barrel with the external choke?  If it's the 45/410, the chamber is long to accomodate the 410 and that causes an accuracy problem with the 45's. There were some previous posts on the combo barrels.

[streak]

It is strictly a 10" .45 Colt barrel!

[Lone Star]

...I don't think it's going to have as much recoil as you think it will. The Contender (I assume) frame with a 10" barrel is going to have much more weight to it than a traditional Colt revolver would.....

Whoow boy, you guys obviously haven't fired one!   Mine with wood is very light, and anything over cowboy loads is pretty grim in the recoil department.  For example, a 250 Nosler over 14.0 grains of BlueDot was brutal, particularly with wood grips.  The slim tapered octagonal barrel with the big hole in it has very thin sidewalls, not much thicker than a shotgun barrel at the muzzle.  It weighs very little, so with the frame and wood you are 'way lighter than a standard 7.5" revolver.  I had to put rubber grips and forend on mine to comfortably shoot mid-Ruger-level loads.  It is a joy to carry, but a bear to shoot. 

I think that the OP's idea of 250gr/900 fps is a good one, that is plenty of power for deer-sized game anyway at under 50 yards.  The very thin barrel walls always made me nervous with high pressure loads, but by the time the bullet gets to the last half the pressure has dropped a lot.  Good luck, I don't use mine much anymore but it is fun...



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[doc-and]

Mine is a bull barrel (45Colt only) and loads in the 850-1000fps range are not bad at all.



docand

[Slowpoke Slim]

Well,

I would say part of the issue is that recoil is perception. What seems like heavy recoil to one shooter would not be troubling to another shooter. It has nothing to do with how "manly" you are or anything. No intent meant here to insult anyone.

That being said, I have shot those "standard" Colt loads out of a pair of 5 1/2" Colt clones for years. 250 gr bullets over a heavy charge of compressed blackpowder, making 900-950 fps. Out of a 5 1/2" lightweight revolver. I do not have a 10" octagon barrel for my Contender frame. However, my Contender frame, with just the pistol grip on it, weighs about as much as my entire Colt clone SAA revolver with the 5 1/2" barrel, and that's before you add the weight of the 10" bbl to the Contender. Also, the 10" barrel will dampen recoil more so than a 5 1/2" bbl, all things being equal.

Part of the "brutal" recoil you are experiencing may be due to the powder you are burning. Blue Dot is a fairly fast burning powder, which causes the pressure to come on more quickly than say a powder like H110, or AA#9. So looking at the recoil pulse, over time, you get a "quicker" recoil, than say a slower powder would. I have never fired Blue Dot out of 45 Colt loads personally, not that it's not a safe powder or anything, I just haven't used it.

If you come to the range with me, I'll let you rip off a few full power 45-70 loads with 400 gr bullets out of my 14" Contender barrel. Your Colt barrel will seem somewhat tamer after that!

 

Streak,

I will dig up my recipe and PM you with it. This is NOT an over pressure round, or "off the charts" or anything. This load is taken directly from a published reloading manual, which I will cite the reference to the data in my PM. The fired casings extract just fine from my Anaconda, my buddy's Ruger, and my Contender barrel. This is a safe load, in a modern revolver design like a Ruger, S&W, or Colt Anaconda. It's also a safe load in a Contender. It is NOT safe for a SAA Colt or Colt clone revolver. The new and old SAA Colts (and clones) are NOT rated for modern pressures. If you have both types of 45 Colt guns (like I do), please be extra diligent to keep your ammo separated. I would never shoot one of these loads through my Colt clones. The choice of bullet makes it pretty obvious for me to tell visually which load I'm looking at. The 300-328 gr cast bullets are much different looking than the "normal" 250 gr cast bullets. I don't load the modern pressure loads with the 250 gr bullets to keep it easy to tell the difference.

[streak]

doc-and,
That is a good looking pistol!
What type of wood is that?

[Lone Star]

I would say part of the issue is that recoil is perception. What seems like heavy recoil to one shooter would not be troubling to another shooter.

To preface, I am not intending to insult anyone nor to toot my own horn - just the facts ma'am.  I have 34 years of experience with dozens of Contender barrels, so I guess I'm not a newbie.  The physics predicts how much recoil will be produced, but for those who want to go past theoretical discussions - my octagonal .45LC barrel weighs 13 ounces.  My .45LC bull barrel weighs 23 ounces.  That extra 10 ounces makes a big difference in recoil in a Contender sporting factory wood.  Since no one here has fired an octo .45LC barrel, their comments are just theory.  Mine are based on actual experience.  Comparing 'heavy' recoil in a Contender to a SAA is not apples-to-apples due to the way the different grips handle the recoil. 

As for the BlueDot load, "recoil pulse" just sounds like more theory.  Take it from experience (that word again!), the recoil of the BD load is noticeably less than a similar-velocity (1200 fps) load using 2400 or H110 in my bull barrel - just as the recoil physics predicts.  I won't fire the 'heavy' loads in the octo any more - why punish myself?  Cowboy-level loads are fine.

I've regularly shot my 14" .50-70 SSK barrel with 515FNs at 1250 fps, and 650FMJs at 1050 fps for over a decade, so your puny little .45-70 gives me little concern.  But nonetheless I'd love to shoot with you sometime! 



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[drichi]

I have a 10" oct. 45 colt barrel, and I would much rather shoot my 44 mag 10" bull barrel with full power 300 grain loads than a 250 grain 45 colt at 1000 fps. I understand what you mean. It is a cool looking barrel with that big hole in it, but it is brutal to shoot with heavier loads in it. This is the only contender barrel that I have that I have worked to down load. I would like to get a 10" bull barrel one day so I can take full advantage of the heavier 45 colt loads that the contender will handle. dave

[Hopalong7]

I will add my experience to Lone Star's.  I shoot 10" Octagon(although it is a shot barrel), 10" Bull and Super 14 barrels all chambered in .45colt.  I shoot 300+ gr'ers in the 14" barrel only, 240-250 gr with near max H110 loads in the 10" occasionally, and 200-250 gr with light to medium loads of Unique, etc only in the 10" octagon barrel.  Actually, I guess the octagon without the choke is only an 8 3/4" barrel though.  Anyway, there is a great deal of difference in each of the three barrels when it comes to recoil, especially when it come to muzzle flip.  I also shot a 45-70 on a regular basis so I'm not a total recoil whimp either.
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I changed my mind and deleted my post. It's not worth it to me...

[chiefs50]

I have a .45 Colt, 10" Octagonal barrel for my Contender.  This is not the shot barrel.  It has a Sightron pistol scope that adds a little weight.  Recoil with factory 250/260 grain ammo at 900 fps is fairly mild.  I have handloaded some 300 grain LEE bullets over Lil' Gun that should run about 1000 fps.  I haven't tried these yet but others have and reported very manageable recoil.  I'll let you know.


MIke

[streak]

chiefs50,
Thanks for the reply and look forward on how the 300 grn bullets perform.